The Town FilesMcAllen, Texas
City in Hidalgo County · population 142,210 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $190,400
- Household income
- $61,579
- Jan low / Jul high
- 49° / 98°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 33.5
McAllen is a city of 142,210 people in Hidalgo County, Texas. The median home is worth $190,400, close to the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks more vibrant than 94% of Texas towns, more walkable than 92% of Texas towns, better for young professionals than 89% of Texas towns.
How McAllen ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in McAllen is worth $190,400, close to the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $61,579, which is more affordable than 45% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,049 a month. 59.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | McAllen | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $190,400 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,049 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $61,579 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 59.5% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1995 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.2% | — |
Who lives in McAllen
| People | McAllen | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.5 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.1% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 28.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.5% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.0% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 3.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 26.2% | — |
| Work from home | 12.1% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.2% | 89.2% |
Weather in McAllen
July highs average 97.5°F and January lows 49.4°F. About 18.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 170 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 1 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of McAllen since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 26, 1967 about 2.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 30, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 67 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on April 20, 2012.
Severe weather in Hidalgo County since 1996
Hidalgo County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Flood | DR-4871: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 9, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4798: Hurricane Beryl |
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| July 26, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3530: Hurricane Hanna |
Jobs and pay in Hidalgo County
Hidalgo County had 291,901 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $42,905 a year. Unemployment was 6.1% in 2023; in McAllen itself the ACS puts it at 6%.
Public schools in McAllen
48 public schools with 28,108 students, about 14.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCALLEN H S | 9-12 | 2,152 | 12.0 |
| MEMORIAL H S | 8-12 | 2,060 | 14.0 |
| ROWE H S | 9-12 | 1,910 | 13.9 |
| MORRIS MIDDLE | 6-8 | 1,036 | 16.7 |
| CATHEY MIDDLE | 6-8 | 829 | 15.9 |
| MICHAEL E FOSSUM MIDDLE | 6-8 | 818 | 15.1 |
| IDEA MCALLEN COLLEGE PREPARATORY (charter) | 6-12 | 807 | 19.2 |
| GONZALEZ EL | PK-5 | 792 | 15.2 |
| IDEA MCALLEN ACADEMY (charter) | K-5 | 772 | 24.1 |
| SHARYLAND NORTH J H | 7-8 | 772 | 15.4 |
| IDEA LOS ENCINOS ACADEMY (charter) | K-5 | 769 | 24.8 |
| MILAM EL | PK-5 | 748 | 14.7 |
Towns near McAllen
- Palmhurst, TX3.8 mi · 2,601 people · home $375,000
- Mission, TX5.1 mi · 85,778 people · home $175,700
- Pharr, TX5.3 mi · 79,715 people · home $121,900
- Alton, TX6.0 mi · 18,198 people · home $156,300
- San Juan, TX6.3 mi · 35,294 people · home $126,700
- North Alamo, TX7.4 mi · 3,722 people · home $82,900
- La Homa, TX7.9 mi · 11,267 people · home $109,200
- Hidalgo, TX8.0 mi · 13,964 people · home $163,600
McAllen questions
Is McAllen, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, McAllen scores better for retirees than 25% of Texas towns and quieter than 3%. 13.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.5).
How much does a house cost in McAllen?
The median owner-occupied home in McAllen is valued at $190,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,579, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $1,049 a month.
What is the weather like in McAllen?
July highs average 97.5°F and January lows 49.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 18.7 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does McAllen get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of McAllen since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 26, 1967. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)